Quick update.I am moving in on March 12!The first pieces that will cross the door are my speakers! (fitting)

Everything is ordered for Home Theater:1. Adding a VP-180 for center2. Adding a EP-800 for subwoofer3. Panasonic PTAE8000 for projector (this weekend I will write the RS-232 module I need to integrate into my remote software)4. Elite CURVE235-125W projector screen5. Pallister 3-seats "Media" chairs with removal trays and even tablet holders for my tablet-based remote software6. Counter-bar in the back with three nice high-chairs (for the in-laws!)

My system is now 2.0, after a few days at 2.1.The effect is pretty interesting. I never had a 2.1 system before as I went from 2.0 to 3.0 and 5.0 before 5.1. M80 + EP500 is a very potent combination, I was pleased to discover!

I will have 2xM22s in my family room in a 2.0 setup. I am now seriously considering installing my EP500 in that room and using only my new EP800 in the home theater instead of both subs.

In any case... 2.0 makes me hear my M80s alone for the first time in 2-3 years. Those are really great speakers! But I have to admit that music in 2.0 sounds unnatural (at least classical). As if they had put the orchestra in a sound-proof studio sucking all the ambiance out of the performance. The M80s are reproducing the sounds very accurately, but the concert hall in which the musicians are playing kind of disappear completely...

Can't wait to have finished re-building my sound system in the new house (should be done on March 13).

Eric, enjoy your new setup. As to music in 2.0 sounding "unnatural", that's because it is. Despite the misconceptions of enthusiasts who maintain a separate 2-channel system so that they can hear music as it was "intended" to be heard, listeners at live concerts hear the majority of sound as ambience from directions other than the front. Using modes such as DPLII to extract the ambience from 2-channel source material and send it to the surrounds where it belongs brings us closer to realism in home listening.

A few early pics and status update. First of all, the whole project was slowed down because my order for projector, screen and home theater seating never made it to my new house due to merchant going bust (currently waiting for my 9,200$ back from credit card insurance). Apart from that, things are moving along. I arrived in the old workshop with a lot more things to dismantle than I had anticipated, which added further delays.

You can see some of them in the next set of pictures showing my QS8s (the one clearing the door had to be moved because it did NOT clear the door on first install!). One QS8 had to be wall mount because there is a large metal structure where it would normally have be mounted. Fortunately, it was also the only one I could actually put on the wall!

Since I will not do the "nice" renovation and sound proofing until late fall or next spring, I at least improved a bit the look of the place by adding newly purchased and assembled media storage units (6 total). The units were then wall-mounted (using two sturdy brackets underneath each unit for the weight and then two screws through studs near the top for stability) and placed three on the right side (for BDs and DVDs) and three in the back for music. It removed a lot of the ugliness, but there's lots left! (there is still a lot of room for new purchases as many of the biggest box-sets can move to the top to get even a better look). In the 4th media picture, we can also see the "bar" that is used to accommodate 3 stools and eventually a mini-fridge!

Since the equipment was not going to be directly visible, I finally decided against anything fancy for equipment holder and opted for a big sturdy rack. Easy access and also plenty of natural air flow to keep everything cool! The result was OK in terms of functionality, but it was both an eyesore and a HUGE source of artificial lights. All those LEDs were actually lighting the room way too much for my taste. So I decided of a simple way to kill both birds with one credit card. I installed a curving curtain rail and some light-and-sound blocking drapes. Results is pretty cool. May not be the prettiest thing, but it sure is dark now in that room... still waiting for its projector! It looks like Wizard of Oz with all the magic behind the curtain...

After the debacle with the bankrupt merchant, I slightly changed my choice of equipment and screen (moved away from 125" 2:35 screen which caused my speakers to be too far apart and opted for a 110" widescreen). Right now, I have the screen (installed, WHAT A PAIN TO STRETCH THAT SCREEN MATERIAL!!!), the 3D glasses, my new Oppo BDP-103 [allows me to split the video directly to the projector, as my D2v doesn't support 3D, and the audio through a secondary HDMI connection]. Best images and best sound! Alas, a 500$ player! (at least it is doing very good streaming and replacing 2 other devices). Screen is up and so is the projector mount on the ceiling... on so are the cables (2xHDMI and 1xRS-232 so my remote software can control the projector).